Harris: Nothing special about it

B’s hunger, physicality not nearly up to snuff

Stephen HarrisSunday, May 05, 2013

Credit: Matthew West

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul, top left, scores on Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (screened by defenseman Johnny Boychuk) again in the second period of game 2 of the conference quarterfinals at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand gets a hit on Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf early in the first period during Game 2 at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner looks on as goalie James Reimer makes a save on Boston Bruins right wing Jaromir Jagr in the first period during Game 2 at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West.

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Colton Orr and Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara collide in the first period during Game 2 at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid and defenseman Wade Redden look on as Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul scores a power play goal on Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask in the second period during Game 2 at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul celebrates in front of some dejected Boston Bruins fans after he scores his second goal of the second period in Game 2 at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask sprawls out to make a second period save against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of the conference quarterfinals at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Credit: Matthew West

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel scores a goal on Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask on a breakaway in the third period in Game 2 of the conference quarterfinals at TD Garden on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

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One enormous step forward, one nearly as large step backward. Two games into a very important postseason, the Bruins earn very mixed reviews and can’t exactly be filling their fans with confidence.

As good as they were in all three zones in Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday — playing arguably their best all-around game of the season — in Game 2 last night the B’s fell far short of that showing. They weren’t terrible. Just nothing special.

It was the Leafs who played like the team that wanted this win more — a lot more — as they skated and banged their way to a series-tying 4-2 victory.

“We lost track of what we did so well in the first game,” Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. “We didn’t pick up where we left off in the first game. We tried to play the game the same way we did in the first game. For whatever reason, we didn’t.

“Our game wasn’t nearly as good as it was in the first game. We gave up way too many odd-manned rushes and they used their chances to score goals. It was breakdowns, us not getting the puck deep as much, or playing as consistent as we did in the first game. Whether it was in our zone or their zone, they were more tenacious in the one-on-one puck battles.”

And the million dollar question that has to be answered, starting with Game 3 tomorrow night in Toronto, is: Which of these games revealed the true character and quality of the teams?

Are the Bruins really the team that outclassed the Leafs in the 4-1 Game 1 win, a match that was more one-sided than that score suggests? Or was that the true Maple Leafs last night, a club that had a clear physical edge against its opponent and won puck battles all night?

“We didn’t answer it enough,” Seidenberg said of the Leafs’ rugged play, for which they were credited with 44 hits. “We were the ones in the first game who initiated it. It was them this time. We just didn’t respond the way we’re supposed to.”

This was a contest that reminded us how critical the Bruins’ forechecking game is. That’s the key to everything: getting pucks deep, getting to them fast and hard, taking the body, forcing turnovers. That pressure makes it difficult for opponents to get the puck out of their end — and when it does get out, it often gets sent right back in again.

Not last night, at least not nearly enough. The Leafs won the battles and got the puck out too easily — and up the rink with great speed.

“You can’t give them as much room,” Seidenberg said. “They were flying starting from their zone. We didn’t have anyone angling guys or pushing them to one side, so you have a better angle to defend.

“We were better in angling them off in Game 1 — just giving them the side, so it was easier for us to cut them off at the wall. We gave them too much room and too much speed. They came right up the middle or with great outside speed. All you can do is try to avoid letting them go around you.

“Again, it’s a five-man unit. We have to go up the ice together and come back together to avoid those speedy rushes.”

The speediest, and most costly, rush of the night was by Phil Kessel, who snuck loose behind Seidenberg, took a long pass from Nazem Kadri, and scored on a clean breakaway in the first minute of the third period. Kessel had done next to nothing against his old team — but this one was a killer, giving the Leafs a 3-1 lead.

The B’s were attacking, seeking the game-tying goal, and Seidenberg launched a shot from the left point. It was blocked down low, Kessel made a break and Kadri hit him with a perfect long pass.

“I went for a shot and your momentum carries you down (deeper in the offensive zone) when you shoot it,” Seidenberg said. “(Kessel is) a player who reads that. He’s a very opportunistic player: He saw that puck get blocked and he took off.

“We have to be more careful when he’s out there and watch when he takes off. It’s a five-man unit. We just have to pick up for each other, whether it’s me or anyone else. We have to watch where he is, because he’s a very sneaky player and he uses those chances to his advantage.”

With the absence of the suspended Andrew Ference forcing a reshuffling of all three defense pairs, Seidenberg, playing with Johnny Boychuk, had a rough night against the heavy forecheck and speed of the Maple Leafs — ending up with a minus-3.

The Bruins will be back on the practice ice today at the Garden before jetting to Toronto. They will have a lot to work on and not much time to do it. But really, as much as they need to tighten their gap, adjust their forecheck and breakouts, their defensive-zone coverage, and whatever else will jump off the videotape at the coaches, the main thing the B’s have to do is want it more.

They just can’t get pushed around by this team.

“They were a much hungrier team and it showed,” B’s captain Zdeno Chara said. “We know we’ve got to be better. Nobody said it was going to be easy. We know that we can be a lot better, so we’ve just got to get ready for the next game.”

We’ll see which Bruins team shows up. And whether they’re ready to handle whatever the Maple Leafs throw at them.